10 Best Glute Activation Exercises (Video) | Nourish Move Love (2024)

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What Is Glute Activation?

Glute activation is a series of warm-up exercises used to properly ‘turn on’ the muscles inyour butt. Glute activation is useful because we have several big muscles in our lower body, like the quads and hamstrings, that sometimes overpower the glute muscles (which can lead to muscular imbalances, low back pain and injury). Glute activation exercises get blood flowing to the glute muscles and prepare them for work. Find another 10-Minute Warm Up Routine here.

What Are The Best Glute Activation Exercises?

The best glute activation exercises focus on a variety of movement patterns based in your hips. Banded squats, hip hinges and glute bridges are some of my favorite glute activation exercises. I like to use resistance bands (aka booty bands) for glute activation. Banded glute exercises isolate and target (and thus activate) the smaller glute muscles.

Who Should Do These Glute Activation Exercises?

These glute activation exercises are beneficial for those who struggle with tight hip flexors or lower back pain during and/or after leg workouts. They’re also great if you have a hard time feeling your glutes “turn on” during lower body exercises and want to build a booty at home.

1. Banded Squats
2. Banded Single Leg Abduction, R
3. Banded Single Leg Abduction, L
4. Banded Side-to-Side Squats
5. Banded Squat and Knee Drive, R
6. Banded Squat and Knee Drive, L
7. Banded Hip Hinge
8. Banded Kickbacks
9. Banded Monster Walk (Frontal Plane)
10. Banded Monster Walk or V-Walk (Sagittal Plane)

How To Do Banded Squats

1. Place the resistance band on your thighs, approximately six inches above the knees. Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips to create tension across the band (activating your glutes).
2. Sit back into a squat, lowering your hips until they are parallel to the knees, striving for a 90-degree angle. Drop your hips down, weight in heels, chest up.
3. Then, drive through your heels to return to a standing position. Squeeze the glutes at the top.

How To Do A Banded Single Leg Abduction

1. Place the resistance band on your thighs, approximately six inches above the knees. Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips to create tension across the band (activating your glutes).
2. With knees bent, place 80% of your bodyweight in your right leg, and 20% of your bodyweight in your left toe.
3. Step your left leg out, driving through the left glute to stretch the band as far as you can. Tap your left foot to the side.
4. Then step your left foot back in to center, keeping your feet slightly wider than your hips to keep tension across the band.
5. Repeat this sequence, balancing on your right leg while stepping the left foot out and back for the timed interval.

How To Do Banded Side-to-Side Squats

1. Place the resistance band on your thighs, approximately six inches above the knees. Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips to create tension across the band.
2. Step your right foot out, stretching the band as far as you can.
3. As you step out, sit back into a squat, lowering your hips parallel to knees. Drop your hips down, weight in heels, chest up.
4. Hold this squat position for a second, then drive through your heels and step back to center to return to a standing position.

How To Do A Banded Squat And Knee Drive

1. Loop the resistance band around the arches of both feet (around soles of shoes). Begin standing with feet shoulder-width distance apart.
2. Step your left foot out wide, stretching the band as far as you can. As you step out, sit back into a squat, lowering your hips parallel to the knees.
3. Hold this loaded squat position as you step your left foot in slightly. You should now be in a narrow squat position. Tension is still on the band.
4. As you drive through the right heel to stand tall, perform a knee drive with the left leg. Drive your left knee up, activating the hip flexor to stretch the band as far as you can (until left knee is inline with left hip).
5. Lower your left leg back down to return to the starting position.

How To Do A Banded Hip Hinge Or Banded Deadlift

1. Loop the resistance band around the arches of both feet. Begin standing feet hip-width distance apart.
2. Grab on to the top of the band with both hands and stand up, stretching the band.
3. With a soft bend in the knees, hinge at your hips to slide your hands down the front of your legs. Think about pushing your hips back behind you like you would for a deadlift.
4. Hinge until you feel a stretch in the back of your legs (hamstring muscles).
5. Then drive through your heels to stand up, pulling the band to create tension. Return to the starting position.

How To Do Banded Kickbacks

1. Place the resistance band around the shin/calf area, approximately six inches below the knees. Begin standing feet hip-width apart, slight bend in the knees.
2. Sit back into a narrow squat, lowering your hips parallel to knees.
3. Drive through your heels to stand tall. As you do so, kick your right leg back behind you, stretching the band as far as you can. Drive your arms overhead to increase engagement along the entire backside of the body.
4. Bring your right leg back to center and sit back into a narrow squat.
5. As you drive through your heels to stand tall again, kick your left leg back behind you, stretching the band as far as you can. Drive your arms overhead.
6. Repeat this sequence for the timed interval, alternating the leg that kicks back.

How To Do A Banded Monster Walk

1. Place the resistance band on the shin/calf area, approximately six inches below the knees. Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips to create tension across the band.
2. Bend at the knees to find a loaded squat position.
3. Step your right foot out wide to stretch the band and create tension.
4. Then, step your left foot out wide to stretch the band and create more tension.
5. Step your right foot in, then step your left foot in to find a loaded narrow squat position.
6. Think: wide, wide, narrow, narrow. Repeat this sequence for the timed interval.

How To Do A Banded Monster Walk Or V-Walk

1. Place the resistance band on the shin/calf area, approximately six inches below the knees.Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips to create tension across the band.
2. Bend at the knees to find a loaded squat position.
3. Take a step forward, stepping your right foot out wide in front of you to stretch the band and create tension.
4. Then, take another step forward, stepping your left foot out wide to stretch the band and create more tension.
5. Take another step forward with your right foot and another step forward with your left foot, keeping constant tension on the band.
6. Then, reverse your direction taking steps back. Step wide each time, keeping constant tension on the band.
7. Think of stepping as wide as your yoga mat. Repeat this front/back movement for the timed interval.

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1. Hi, my quads turn on instead of my glute (one leg only) when I try to do many of these exercises. I am trying to get glute activation working to stop chronic knee pain (same one leg) when running. Whats your advice for approaching these exercises and getting the quad to switch off? Annie

   • Hi Annie! Great question I would start with a simple glute activation exercise first to get the glutes firing — lie on your side with your back against the wall (glute that’s having trouble firing up), from there press the heel of your foot into the wall and raise your leg drawing small half circles up and down the wall with your heel. This should get that glute firing. Once you have the glute active then start this routine! Also placing the resistance band around the soles of your shoes (bottom of feet) and doing side to side walks is a great way to get those glutes firing (band around feet vs thighs). I hope that helps! -Lindsey

2. Love this thanks!

   • Ira! So glad you loved this mini band glute activation workout! Thanks for giving it a try, and I hope you come back for more! -Lindsey